Building directory



Nov. 10, 1931. R W, GLARK 1,831,287

BUILDING DIRECTORY y Filed July 28, 195o Patented Nov. 10, 1931 l UNITED STATES RICHARD W. CLARK, OF CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA p BUILDING mnnc'romr lApplication vfiled July 28,

This invention relates to card picture and sign exhibits and more particularly to a directory of the type placed in the entrance halls or lobbies of buildings. It is to be understood that the device may be used as a building directory or as a sign in a store or theaterl lobby or for any other purpose for which it may be found suitable. v

One object of the invention is to provide a display device of this character consisting of a frame adapted to be supported 'upon a wall and carry display elements to which the names of tenants of thebuilding and numbers of the rooms occupied by them.

Another object of the invention is to provide this directory with naine-carrying elements which are individually removable from the frame so that the names may beapplied to them before they are fitted into the frame,

thereby making it possible to easily insert the names of new tenants in the directory. Another object of the invention is to permit the name-carrying elements or bars to be shifted vertically in the frame and thereby permit a bar carrying the name of a new tenant to be very easily set in the sign in its properlposition withrespect to other names already in place.

Another object of the invention is tol so mount the name-carrying bars that, while they may be easily setin place and shifted vertically of the frame when in place, they v will not slip out of position when a transparent closure for the front of the frame is moved to an opened position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein. I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im- Y proved directory, 4

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken vertically through the directory, Y

` Fig. l is a sectional view taken transversethe line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a. perspective view illustrating a modified construction-. This improved building directory is intended to be mounted upon awall or other 45 yly through one of the name-carrying bars on 1930. serial No. 471,262.

support in an entrance hall or lobby and has a frame 1 which may be ofy any heightV and width desired. Cross strips 2 which are preferably formed of metal entend transversely of the framewith their ends ysecured y to the side bars 3 of the frame and certain of these cross strips are rformed with openings l through which screws or other fasteners may be passed in order to secure the frame toy the wall.y These cross strips are spaced from eachother vertically of' theframe and it is to be understood that any suitable' number may beemployed. A head piece v5 having a glass at its front is mountedin the upper portion of the frame and in this head piece is mounted a? sign GIbearing-removable letters forming the word Directory,as shown at 7, the name of Ja building'or any other heading desired.

Between the headv piece and the lower end of the frame are disposed a number of namecarrying bars S-which are disposedl one upon another, as shown in Figure 3, and these bars lit against' a sheet metal backing l9 which lis disposed in the .frame vand secured against the front faces of the cross strips 2, as shown in Figures 1 and2. The backingsheet is of appreciably` less width than vthe jframe and has one side portion Ybent to forma fiange'or cleat 10, Vand this flange is in its turn bent to form a lip l1 which projects transversely from the flangey or cleat towards a second flange or cleat 12 formed by bending the other side portion ofl the 'backing sheet. "This flange may be bent back upon itself, as shown in Figure 2, in order to form it with a'smooth forward edge and also permit a good binding action to take 'place when the cleat 12 is engaged in the transversely extending grooves 13 cut in the rear faces of the .name-carrying vbars of strips. Each name-carrying bar has one end bearing firmly against the flange or cleat 10 and is cut from this end to formralongitudinally extending groove 114 to receive the lip 11. Sincethe grooves 14 extend transversely `through the name-ca'rryingv bars, these bars'm'ay be slid vertically in the s frame in order that a bar carrying the name of a` new tenantmay be set in vplace in its f Iproper position and sincethe bars are readily removable the name may be applied to a bar and this bar then set in place in its proper position in the frame. By this arrangement it is not necessary for a person to apply letters forming a tenants name to a carrier mounted in the frame. By referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the name-carrying bars are of such length that when they are engaged with the flanges or cleats of the backing sheet their ends will be disposed in spaced relation tothe side bars of the frame.

' It should also be noted that the backing sheet terminates at its top and bottom in spaced relation to the head 5 and the lower bar 15 of the frame. Therefore, a closure 16 consisting ofan open frame and a transparent sheet of glawlnay be set in place within the main? frame with its side-bars fitting between ends ofthe name-carrying bars andthe side bars 3y of the main frame and its upper and lower bars engaging between the backing sheet and the head 5 and lower bar l5 of the main frame. Tongues 17 project upwardly from theclosure to=engage back of the head andi the lower crossy bar of the closure frame carries a latch 18fadapted to be engaged by a key and turned into and out of position to engage back of the lower bar l of the main frame and securely but releas'ably hold the closureirrplace.`

Each: of the'y name-carrying bars is constructed: as shown in Figure 4?, and referring tof this figure it will be seen that the front face of the bar has longitudinally extending grooves formed therein. A facing 1f9 of fabric is glued or otherwise secured to the name bar and may have` portions tucked into the grooves formed in thev front facev thereof or slits may be formed in the facing tol register' Withf the grooves. By this arrangement letters 20 may be disposed against the front 'faces of the Vnaine-carrying bars' with prongs 21 engaged inthe slits of the bar and the letterswi'll be firmly applied to the bar'but may be easily removed. The fact thatthe transparent sheet of the closure bears against the letters when the closure is in place-will very' effectively prevent danger of the: letters accidentally slipping out' of place.

lfVhen.y this directory is in use, it is secured against a. wall or other support by screws passed through the openings 4. Letters forming the names of tenants of the. building are applied to the name-carrying bars z and these bars set in placewith their grooves 14C receiving the lipA ll of the flange or cleat l() and the flange or cleat 12 engaged in the grooves- 12 of the bars. The closure is then set in placev andl secured by the latch 18V and w since the transparent sheet of the closure bears against the letters they can-not accidentally slip out of place. When' it is necessary toA apply the name of a new tanant, a blank name-carrying bar is removed and can be set upon ai desk while applying the necessary the frame space may be provided in order that the name of a new tenant may be applied in its proper position.

In Figure 5, there has been shown a modified construction." In this form of the invention the strips 2 are omitted and a backing sheetV 22 substituted in place thereof. This backing sheet extends the full width of the frame and is secured against rear faces of the side bars 3. Instead of'employing a metal backing sheet 9 which has its side portions bent to forni the cleats or flanges, there has been provided cleats 23 and 24 consisting of strips of' angle metal. These cleats are secured against the backing sheet-22 with their flanges 25 `and 26 projecting outwardly or forwardly and the flange 25 carries a. side flange or lip 27 corresponding to the lip ll. In other respects this form of vdirectory is the saine as that previously described and the naine-carrying bars are applied thereto in the saine manner.

Having thus described the invention, I

claim: j

l. A directory comprising a frame open at its front, transparent closure for the front of saidframe, a backing in said frame having cleats extendingr vertically therein in transverse spaced relation to each other and each having an outstanding flange, one flange having a lip projecting towards the other cleat, and bars extending transversely in said frame to have characters applied thereto, said bars each having one end formed with a longitudinally extending seat to receive said lip and being formed in its rear face With a transverse seat to receive the other cleat.

2. A directory comprising a frame open at its front, cleats extending vertically in said frame and projecting towards the open front thereof, saidY cleats being spaced from each other transversely of the frame and one'having a longitudinally extendinglip projecting transversely therefrom towards the other cleat. and naine-carrying bars extending transversely in said frame one above another and each having one end formed with a seatY receiving the lip of the first cleat and its rear face formed with a seat receiving the second cleat'.

3. A directory comprising a frame open at its front, cleats extending vertically in said frame and projecting towards the open front thereof, said cleat-s being spaced from earh othertransversely of the frame and one having a longitudinally extending lip projecting transversely therefrom towards the other cleat, name-carrying bars extending transversely in said frame one above another and each having one end formed with a seat receiving the lip of the first cleat and its rear face formed with a seat receiving the second cleat, and a transparent :closure for the open front of said frame retaining the bars in engagement with the cleats when in place.

4. A directory comprising a frame open n at its front, strips extending transversely of said frame, a backing sheet secured to saidl strips and having portions bent to form vertically extending flanges spaced transversely from each other and one flange being bent to form a longitudinally extending side lip pro- Y jecting towards the other flange, and namecarrying bars in said frame disposed one above another and formed with grooves receiving the lip and other flange to detachablyk and slidably mount the bars.

5. A directory comprising a frame open atl its front, strips extending transversely of said frame, a backing sheet secured to said strips and having portions bent to form vertically extending flanges spaced transversely from each other and one being bent to form a longitudinally extending side lip projecting towards the other flange, name-carrying bars in said frame disposed one above another y and formed with grooves receiving the lip and other flange to detachably and slidably Y mount the bars, and a closure having a frame fitting into the first frame and a transparent sheet bearing against front faces of the namecarrying bars( 6. A directory comprising a frame open at its front, name carrying bars extending transversely in said frame, one above another and having their rear faces provided with seats, means to engage one end of each bar and prevent outward movement of the bars and means to engage the seats in the rear faces of said bars and prevent shiftingof the same transversely in the frame.`

7. A directory comprising va frame open at its front, cleats extending vertically in the frame and projecting towards the open front thereof, said cleats being spaced from each other transversely of the frame, and nameV carrying bars extending transversely in the frame, one above another and each having one end abutting one cleat, the rear faces of the bars being formed with seats receiving the second cleat.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RICHARD W. CLARK. 

